Cap locking means for wardrobe hanger bar

ABSTRACT

A portable hanger bar structure for supporting a plurality of various types of garment hangers having an overlying locking member releasably affixed to the bar structure providing a plurality of spaced support areas for the hangers.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,162,314 12/1964Belsinger...................

Francis P. Brennan 1057 Rolling Drive, Lisle, 111. 60532 2,888

3,306,465 2/1967 Brennan 3,403,787 10/ 1968 Browning.

3,480,153 11/1969 Co11in....... 3,519,139 7/1970 Brennan 211 AppLNo. 221Filed Jan. 14,1970 45 Patented Oct. 19,1971

54 CAP LOCKING MEANS FQnWARoROBE HANGER BAR Primary Exar nineF-Ramon S.Britts 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs. Attorney-H111, Sherman, Meronl, Gross& Simpson ABSTRACT: A portable hanger bar structure for supporting aplurality of various types of garment hangers having an overlyinglocking member releasably affixed to the bar structure providing aplurality of spaced support areas for the hangers.

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PATENTEDUCT 19 I97\ FWWd/S P. Beam AN CAP LOCKING MEANS FOR WARDROBEHANGER BAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION with a bar supporting a pluralityof garment hangers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The cap locking means of this inventioncomprises a generally W-shaped bar providing a pair of spaced-apartabutment surfaces for engaging the curved hooks of a curved coat hanger.A flat abutment surface disposed therebetween can be utilized to engagethe flat-type hook of other wellknown forms of coat hangers. The caplocking bar is simply inverted selectively for use with either type ofhook.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hanger bar constructionincluding a separable novel locking cap convertible for supportingdifferent types of hangers with different support configurations wherebysuch hangers are securely locked against disengagement and deformationduring transportation of the hanger bar.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combination of hangerbar and locking member of economical construction and simplicity inoperation.

The organization and manner of operation of the invention, together withfurther objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood byreference to the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like referencenumerals identify like elements, although variations and modificationsmay be affected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novelconcepts of the disclosure and in which:

ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a partiallyexploded hanger bar structure incorporating the invention with severalwire hangers thereon;

FIG. 2 is a view somewhat similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1,illustrating another embodiment of the invention with different type ofhangers thereon;

FIG. 3 is a vertical end view of the hanger bar structure illustrated atFIG. 1 in assembled form;

FIG. 4 is a vertical end view of the hanger bar structure illustrated atFIG. 2 in assembled form;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged bottom plane view of the hanger bar structure ofthe invention in locking position, illustrating various attachmentmeans, with the hangers shown in section, and also illustrating a meansof attaching the structure to a support.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS As illustrated in FIG. 1, a novel wardrobehanger bar structure generally indicated as receives and supports anumber of hangers H; the hangers H are conventional wire hangers havinga half-round hook portion HI for attachment to a support.

In accordance with the invention, the hanger bar structure 10 comprisesan elongated generally inverted U-shaped carrier member 11 which forms acrossbar support for carrying a plurality of coat hangers H, and anelongated generally W- shaped locking member 15 adapted to lie over thecarrier member 11 and provide a plurality of support areas for hangersII on the carrier member as will be explained hereinafter.

The carrier member 11 is, as indicated hereinbefore, an elongatedgenerally inverted U-shaped member having a center wall lla which isadapted to engage hangers and two dependent sidewalls ends 11b and lllb.The carrier member Ila as illustrated at FIG. 1, is provided with spacetongues TI struck-out from the center wall Ila and extend upwardly.Preferably, the tongues T1 are provided at either end of the carriermember 11, however, if desired, additional tongue members may beprovided.

The locking member 15 is also generally elongated to substantially lieover the carrier member 11, and generally comprised of a W-shaped crosssection. Preferably, the locking member 15 extends a substantial portionof the longitudinal extent of carrier member 11 but less than its totallength. The locking member 15 has a raised center wall portion 150 of awidth somewhat less than the width of the carrier member center wallllla and has disposed on opposite sides thereof side channellikeportions 15b, 15b which have peripheral walls 15c, 15c spaced from thecenter wall 15a and lying in approximately the same plane as thesidewalls lib, 11b, of the carrier member 11. In the embodiment shown atFIG. 1, the locking member 15 is provided with a pair of spacedapertures 01, 01 in mating relation with the tongues T1, T1 on carriermember 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the relation between the apertures and thetongues releasably affixing the carrier member 11 with the lockingmember 15 may be reversed so that the locking member 15 has struckouttongue portion T T while the carrier member has struckout matingaperture 0,, 0,The plurality of hangers I-I shown on the carrier bar 11at FIG. 2 are of more substantial construction having half-square hookportion H2 and thereby differ from the hangers at FIG. 1 which havehalfaround hook portion H1.

As better illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the mating and interplay betweenthe carrier member 11 and the locking member 15 with the hook portionH,, and H, respectively, is illustrated. The hook HI, and H2 issupported and rides over the outer surface of the U-shaped carriermember II with the locking member 15 above the hook and the carriermember 11. The tongue T1, T2 is shown in its closed or locking position,wherein it passes through the aperture 01, 02 of that particular memberand extends approximately parallel to the center wall portion of eithercarrier member 1 l or the locking member I5 respectively. It will benoted that the positioning of the locking member 15 as shown at FIG. 3,provides a plurality of space support areas 81 and S2 to the hook H1.The peripheral walls 15c of the channellike portion 15b are free fromcontact with the half-round hanger hook H1, while the center wallportion of the channellike portions 1512 contact the hanger hook H1. Ofcourse, as will be appreciated, a plurality of such halfround hookhangers H1 can be supported along the elongated members 11 and 15.

FIG. 4 illustrates half-square hook hangers H2 supported along spacedsupport areas S3, S4 and S5. It will be noted that the center wall 15aof locking member 15 is formed to provide a portion complementary inshape to a corresponding portion of the carrier member thereby providingfull face contact with the hook hanger H2. The peripheral sidewalls 15c,15c of the channellike portions 15b, 15b also contacts the hook portionH2 as shown. A

Thus, the locking member of the instant invention is readily convertibleto support either half-round or half-square conventional hangers merelyby proper positioning to provide rmnnn 0892 tional corrugated cardboardcarton. Preferably, a pair of opposed inverted J-shaped end supportmembers 22 are provided for interconnecting sidewalls of the supportmeans 21 with the carrier member 11. This type of interconnection ismore fully disclosed in my aforesaid US. Pat. No. 3,306,465, however, itwill be understood, the other interconnecting means may also beutilized, such as members having portions thereof fitting over a supportmeans and having portions thereof extending from the support means toreceive the carrier member 1 1.

As indicated hereinbefore, the Wshaped locking member has only aslightly larger separation between its outer peripheral sidewalls 15c,150, than between the sidewalls 11b, 11b of the carrier member 11. Itshould be noted that the apertures of 03, 04 as well as apertures 01,and 02 may be shaped as circular apertures for economy reasons and maybe formed so as to be self-centering in cooperation with the tongues T3,T4. Other geometric shapes can be selected if desired. In this respect,it will be noted that the tongues T3, T4 as well as tongues T1 and T2may be shaped in any desired or selected geometric shape, for example,rectangular, diamond-shaped, tear-shaped, etc., as long as they fitwithin the respective mating aperture or opening. The dependent tongueelements are offset angularly between the open position and the lockedor closed position wherein the lower portion of such tongue element liesin a plane approximately parallel to the center wall surface of theelements 11 and 15 between the dependent sidewalls and are preferably sostruckout as to be bendable toward the respective ends of the members 11and 15, as illustrated.

in operation, carrier member 11 is placed on a suitable support meansand a plurality of a particular type of hanger H is placed thereon. itwill be appreciated that a plurality of carrier members ll may beprovided, wherein each individual carrier member supports a dilTerenttype of hunger, such as halfround or half-square. Thereafter the lockingmember 15 is moved into the appropriate position, as determined by thetype of hanger onto the carrier member 11 (such as the two positions atFIGS. 1 and 2) and caused to lie over the carrier member until thetongue and aperture of the respective members are in mating relationshipwiflt each other. The tongues are then inserted through the aperture forlocking, as by bending the tongues at an acute angle to the verticaluntil the lie in a substantially parallel plane to the center walls ofmembers 11 and 15. in this manner a plurality of support areas areprovided along the upper portion of the hanger hook supported by carriermember 11 preventing their disengagement of deformation during thetransportation of the carrier member 11. At its destination, the hangerbar locking member 15 is removed by disengaging the tongues from theaperture and lifting the locking member from the carrier member.

As it is now apparent, a new and improved hanger bar construction fortransporting different types of garment hangers is provided whichprevents disengagement and deformation of the particular hanger supportthereon during the transportation thereof The described hanger barstructure is easily operable and is capable of economical constructionwhile being readily adaptable to provide a plurality of support areasfor different types of hangers.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hanger bar structure for bearing a plurality of garment hangerscomprising:

An elongated generally inverted U-shaped carrier member having a centerwall of a width adapted to engage hangers and sidewalls on oppositesides thereof;

an elongated generally W-shaped locking member having a center wall ofsomewhat lesser width than said carrier member center wall and spacedside channellike portions disposed on opposite sides having peripheralwalls spaced from said locking member center wall and lying inapproximately the same plane as said carrier member sidewalls, saidlocking member being adapted to lie over said carrier member andproviding a plurality of support areas for hangers on said carriermember; and

means for releasably affixing said locking member to said carrier memberto prevent disengagement of the hangers on said carrier member,comprising mating struckout tongues and openings formed between saidcenter wall of said locking member and said carrier member, said tonguesbeing offset to underlie the edges of the opening for affixing saidlocking member to said carrier member;

the center walls and the peripheral walls of the channellike portions ofthe W-shaped locking member being dimensioned so as to each contacthangers on the carrier member at spaced locations with the peripheralwalls being adapted to contact the hangers within planes lying inwardlyof he outer surfaces of the carrier member sidewall.

2. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the spacedside channellike portions of the generally W- shaped locking membercomprise half-round channels.

3. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said centerwall of the locking member is formed to provide a portion complementaryin shape to a corresponding portion of said carrier member, thereby toprovide full face contact with the adjoining back portions of hangers onthe carrier member.

4. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the centerwall of the carrier member is provided with regularly shaped openingsspaced near the opposite ends of said carrier member and said lockingmember is provided with corresponding spaced tongues dependent from thecenter wall thereof into said spaced openings of said carrier member.

5. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said openingsare provided in the center wall of the locking member spaced nearopposite ends of said locking member, said tongues are provided on andsaid carrier member in correspondingly spaced relation projecting fromthe center wall hereof into said spaced openings of said locking member.

6. A hanger bar structure for bearing a plurality of garment hangerscomprising:

an elongated generally inverted U-shaped carrier member having a centerwall of a width adapted to engage hangers and sidewall on opposite sidesthereof;

an elongated generally W-shaped locking member having a center wall ofsomewhat lesser width than said carrier member center wall and spacedside channellike portions disposed on opposite sides having peripheralwalls spaced from said locking member center wall and lying inapproximately the same plane as said carrier member sidewalls, saidlocking member being adapted to lie over said carrier member andproviding a plurality of support areas for hangers on said carriermember; and

means for releasably affixing said locking member to said carrier memberto prevent disengagement of the hangers on said carrier member,comprising mating struckout tongues and openings formed between saidcenter wall of said locking member and said carrier member,respectively, said tongues being offset to underlie the edges of theopening for affixing said locking member to said carrier member;

the center walls and the channellike portions of the W- shaped lockingmember being dimensioned so as to each contact hangers on the carriermember at spaced locations with the channellike portion being adapted tocontact the hangers within planes lying inwardly of the outer surfacesof the carrier member sidewall when said locking member is disposed in afirst position with the channel portions engaging the adjacent portionof a curved hook and with the peripheral walls being adapted to contactthe hangers within planes lying outwardly of the outer surfaces of thecarrier member sidewall when said locking member is disposed in aninverted second position with the peripheral walls engaging theadjoining portion of a flat hook.

7. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 6 wherein the free edgesof the peripheral walls of the channellike portions of the W-shapedlocking member extend out of contact with adjoining round back portionsof hangers on the carrier member.

8. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said lockingmember provides three laterally spaced support areas for hangers on thecarrier member, (1) at the center wall portion and(2) and(3), at therespectively opposite channellike portion.

9. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 6 wherein the carriermember is provided with means at opposite ends thereof for mounting saidmember on a support.

10. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 6 and said UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 613, 898Dated October l9 1971 Invent0r(S) Francis P. Brennan It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 6, "the" should read --that--;

line 1.5, cancel "of"; line 44, "the" should read --they--.

Column 4,

line 13, "he" should read --the--; line 27, "responding" should read--respondingly--; line 34, "hereof" should read --thereof--; line 39,"sidewall" should read --side walls--.

Column 5, line 5, "portion" should read -portions--.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.F'LETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents uscoMM-oc B0376-P69 9 U,5. GDVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I I9,0-355-33

1. A hanger bar structure for bearing a plurality of garment hangerscomprising: An elongated generally inverted U-shaped carrier memberhaving a center wall of a width adapted to engage hangers and sidewallson opposite sides thereof; an elongated generally W-shaped lockingmember having a center wall of somewhat lesser width than said carriermember center wall and spaced side channellike portions disposed onopposite sides having peripheral walls spaced from said locking membercenter wall and lying in approximately the same plane as said carriermember sidewalls, said locking member being adapted to lie over saidcarrier member and providing a plurality of support areas for hangers onsaid carrier member; and means for releasably affixing said lockingmember to said carrier member to prevent disengagement of the hangers onsaid carrier member, comprising mating struckout tongues and openingsformed between said center wall of said locking member and said carriermember, said tongues being offset to underlie the edges of the openingfor affixing said locking member to said carrier member; the centerwalls and the peripheral walls of the channellike portions of theW-shaped locking member being dimensioned so as to each contact hangerson the carrier member at spaced locations with the peripheral wallsbeing adapted to contact the hangers within planes lying inwardly of heouter surfaces of the carrier member sidewall.
 2. The hanger barstructure as defined in claim 1 wherein the spaced side channellikeportions of the generally W-shaped locking member comprise half-roundchannels.
 3. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 1 wherein saidcenter wall of the locking member is formed to provide a portioncomplementary in shape to a corresponding portion of said carriermember, thereby to provide full face contact with the adjoining backportions of hangers on the carrier member.
 4. The hanger bar structureas defined in claim 1 wherein the center wall of the carrier member isprovided with regularly shaped openings spaced near the opposite ends ofsaid carrier member and said locking member is provided withcorresponding spaced tongues dependent from the center wall thereof intosaid spaced openings of said carrier member.
 5. The hanger bar structureas defined in claim 1 wherein said openings are provided in the centerwall of the locking member spaced near opposite ends of said lockingmember, said tongues are provided on and said carrier member incorrespondingly spaced relation projecting from the center wall hereofinto said spaced openings of said locking member.
 6. A hanger barstructure for bearing a plurality of garment hangers comprising: anelongated generally inverted U-shaped carrier member having a centerwall of a width adapted to engage hangers and sidewall on opposite sidesthereof; an elongated generally W-shaped locking member having a centerwall of somewhat lesser width than said carrier member center wall andspaced side channellike portions disposed on opposite sides havingperipheral walls spaced from said locking member center wall and lyingin approximately the same plane as said carrier member sidewalls, saidlocking member being adapted to lie over said carrier member andproviding a plurality of support areas for hangers on said carriermember; and means for releasably affixing said locking member to saidcarrier member to prevent disengagement of the hangers on said carriermember, comprising mating struckout tongues and openings formed betweensaid center wall of said locking member and said carrier member,respectively, said tongues being offset to underlie the edges of theopening for affixing said locking member to said carrier member; thecenter walls and the channellike portions of the W-shaped locking memberbeing dimensioned so as to each contact hangers on the carrier member atSpaced locations with the channellike portion being adapted to contactthe hangers within planes lying inwardly of the outer surfaces of thecarrier member sidewall when said locking member is disposed in a firstposition with the channel portions engaging the adjacent portion of acurved hook and with the peripheral walls being adapted to contact thehangers within planes lying outwardly of the outer surfaces of thecarrier member sidewall when said locking member is disposed in aninverted second position with the peripheral walls engaging theadjoining portion of a flat hook.
 7. The hanger bar structure as definedin claim 6 wherein the free edges of the peripheral walls of thechannellike portions of the W-shaped locking member extend out ofcontact with adjoining round back portions of hangers on the carriermember.
 8. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 6 wherein saidlocking member provides three laterally spaced support areas for hangerson the carrier member, (1) at the center wall portion and(2) and(3), atthe respectively opposite channellike portion.
 9. The hanger barstructure as defined in claim 6 wherein the carrier member is providedwith means at opposite ends thereof for mounting said member on asupport.
 10. The hanger bar structure as defined in claim 6 and saidmeans for releasably affixing said locking member to said carrier memberto prevent disengagement on said carrier member comprising matingstruckout tongues and openings of a shape so that the parts will beself-centering in cooperation with one another, said tongues beingoffset to underlie the edges of the openings for affixing said lockingmember to said carrier member.